


When You Least Expect It

by DodgerBear



Series: Sex Advice, Milkovich-style [4]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Cheesy, Light-Hearted, M/M, Mickey is a relationship guru, bit of fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:41:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25828348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgerBear/pseuds/DodgerBear
Summary: Word has spread like wildfire and Ian's colleague is next in line for an appointment at Mickey's love clinic.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Series: Sex Advice, Milkovich-style [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833898
Comments: 38
Kudos: 270





	When You Least Expect It

**Author's Note:**

> just another short, fun and hopefully amusing snapshot into the little universe I created where Mickey dishes out advice to all and sundry! enjoy!!
> 
> come say hello on twitter @dodger_bear or tumblr @dodgerbear84

Ian was about the throw the printer out of the window, regardless of the fact he was on the 27th floor. 

“Stupid. Fucking. Machine.” He slammed his hand down on the panel and it suddenly burst into life, printing off the 180 page deposition he was meant to have marked up and ready for court by the end of the day. He knew it was going to be a late night at the office and probably a long night working on his laptop at home, which made him even more grumpy. He’d barely seen his husband this week since he had been tied to his desk - and not in that really good way him and Mickey tried once. This court case was the biggest of his short career and he was learning something new by the hour. But none of that really made him happy if he didn’t get to see the person in his orbit that mattered the most. Mickey was being good about it though, even though Ian knew he was missing him too. He checked his phone while the printer was doing its thing and found a message from Mickey had landed a little over ten minutes earlier. 

“ _Boiler room on 6th. By the service elevator. Need help. Sprung a leak._ ”

Ian frowned and tapped a quick response. 

“ _That meant for me or Ralph?_ ”

Ralph was the contractor who worked with Mickey every now and then. Ian couldn’t understand why Mickey would be asking for his help with a leak. It all became clear a half second later when a picture message came through. Ian stifled his gasp and wiped his hand down his face. The photo was Mickey’s left hand wrapped around his hard dick, beads of precome gathering at the head. It was the most spectacular dick Ian had ever seen. 

“ _Holy fuck_.”

“ _Get down here and help me out. There’s about to be a hell of a mess to clean up._ ”

Ian barked a laugh and looked around the office, eyes locking on the junior associate who was young and eager to please. 

“Adrian!”

As predicted, the handsome blond scurried over. “Yes Ian?”

“I need to pop out for a moment. Can I leave this with you? Once it’s printed I need it separated into July 14th interview and July 17th. Does that make sense?”

Adrian nodded wildly. “Of course!”

“Thank you.” Ian winked, vaguely aware that he was using his looks and slightly flirtatious nature to get Adrian to comply. 

Ian was waiting on the elevator when his phone buzzed. It was another picture of Mickey’s solid dick oozing clear liquid and Ian felt a sweat break out over his body. 

“ _On my way. Don’t you dare come before you’re in my mouth_.” Ian shot off his warning. 

The elevator seemed to take a lifetime before Ian made it to the 6th floor. He quickly located the boiler room and tapped twice on the door before ducking inside. It would be quite an unusual sight for a professional looking young man in a tailored suit to be disappearing into a maintenance room so he made sure the coast was clear and then closed the door with a firm click. 

“Gallagher?”

“Mick? Where the fuck are you?”

Ian turned the corner and found his husband leaning against a rack of metal shelving with his hand down his pants. 

“This is gross misconduct, I hope you know.” Ian muttered with faux annoyance, dropping to his knees when he was less than a foot away from Mickey. 

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” Mickey winked and let Ian pull his dick out of the open fly of his work pants. The cold air wafted over him and all the hairs on his arms shot up. 

“Mickey. I need my job. You can’t distract me like this.” Ian tried so hard to be firm but was already licking at the wet slit of Mickey’s erect dick. 

“You can always say no.” 

Ian rolled his eyes and swallowed Mickey deep, tonguing at the thick vein running the full length of the cock he knew better than his own. “Yeah. Right.”

Mickey threaded the fingers of his left hand in Ian’s short cropped hair. “You can fuck me if you want. I’m ready for you.”

Ian groaned around the mouthful of flesh he was working on. Somehow Mickey always seemed to know the right thing to say. 

“You serious?” Ian pulled off with a pop. 

“As a heart attack. We didn’t fuck this morning. I missed it.” 

Ian sighed and jerked Mickey off while he gazed up at him. “We overslept. We would’ve missed the train.”

“I know. Still missed it though. Don’t give me good dick so often and I won’t chase it!”

“All my fault, hmm?” Ian chuckled and grabbed onto Mickey's hips, spinning him around and pressing him into the shelving unit. “You gonna bitch if I eat your ass?”

“What do you think I am, stupid?” Mickey snorted. Like he’d ever deny Ian the thing that made his blood pump around his body fast enough to start a small fire. “Chop chop Mr Lawyer-Man.”

“Starting to think _you_ might have issues with hypersexual tendencies, Mr Maintenance-Man.”

Mickey let out a startled laugh when Ian’s finger breached him and found that he was indeed ready. “Never in doubt, man.”

“Lube?” Ian pressed gently inside Mickey, his tongue lapping at the overheated flesh. 

“ _Fuck_. Here.”

Mickey had sachets and bottles of lube dotted around the building in various hiding places. At the rate he and Ian fucked it was in their best interests to have some on hand at all times. Ian quickly applied the lube from a single-use packet and lined himself up with Mickey. 

“While we’re still young, Gallagher.”

Ian responded to the taunt by slamming into his husband. Mickey’s next breath was punched out of him and he giggled happily. 

“Oh that’s it. Come on, baby, give it to me.”

Ian was a sucker for a pet name and none worked better on him than the word baby. Mickey used it sparingly, knowing the effect it had on Ian, so when it slipped out accidentally Ian responded by snapping his hips harder and faster until Mickey was almost a puddle on the floor. In the true nature of a quickie, neither man lasted long. The angle, the slight burn, the adrenaline rush and that deep-rooted love they shared meant the end came running toward them at high speed. Mickey was first. There was only so much he could take when Ian was pounding his prostate with the accuracy of a military grade attack. He came with a whimper and a grunt, spilling into his own hand while he clutched the shelving unit with the other. 

“Gonna come, Mick.” Ian warned, his own orgasm triggered by the exquisite feeling of Mickey pulsing as he came. 

“In my mouth.” Mickey demanded and Ian had to pull out immediately before he lost it at those words alone. Mickey dropped to his knees and opened his mouth, giving Ian a clear target to aim at and accepting every drop Ian offered. 

“Wow. That was fucking hot.” Ian panted for breath. 

“Mmm.” Mickey wiped his hands on a dirty rag from his toolbox. He zipped up his pants and grinned up at Ian. “I have the best ideas.”

Ian chuckled and checked his own appearance for any rumples. “I gotta get back.”

“Go get em, Tiger.” Mickey winked. “I know it’s gonna be a long night for you on that case so I’ll make dinner and leave you alone.”

“Not _completely_ alone...” Ian pouted. 

Mickey rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll play on the Xbox in bed while you squint at your laptop beside me.”

Ian grinned and pulled Mickey flush against him, dipping into a kiss. “Love you, baby.”

Ian was back at his desk after being away for an impressive 22 minutes. Not that he could advertize his sexual prowess to the people in his office. He just had to be content in the knowledge that he was able to slip away, fuck his brains out and be back in work mode in less time than it took Bob to have his 11am shit. 

“Ian!” Adrian’s cheerful trill broke into his post-coital reverie. “I have the deposition all marked up. Do you need anything else?”

Before Ian could reply, Adrian leaned closer and gazed closely at Ian’s face. “Are you okay? You’re really flushed.”

“Fine. Just had to take the stairs. Guess I’m slacking on my fitness these days.” Ian covered smoothly. “I’ll let you know if there’s anything else I need you to look at.”

Adrian grinned and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Sure! Take it easy!”

He virtually skipped away and Ian went to turn away when the space previously filled by an enthusiastic junior was now taken by Jenny, one of the high flying hot shot corporate lawyers Ian aspired to be one day. 

“I’ve heard about you.” She stated bluntly. 

Ian gulped and looked at her carefully. She was only around five years older than Ian but her route to the top was via an Ivy League college so she was way ahead of Ian’s career trajectory, albeit in a shitload of debt for the pleasure. “Um...what?”

“You’re the guy who gives all the sex advice to crusty old businessmen who would rather jerk off to their new golf club than have meaningful sex.” She cut to the chase. 

Ian laughed nervously. “Oh no. That’s my husband. Mickey. He’s somehow ended up being a guru for those guys. I just get dragged along for free drinks.”

“Husband? You’re queer?” Her eyebrows arched curiously and Ian had a hard time deciphering if she had a problem with him or if prickly was just her signature attitude. 

“The queerest.” He decided to go for broke and flashed her a grin to soften the blow. 

Amazingly, Jenny started to chuckle. “Then you could just be the man I need. Drinks after work tomorrow. Do you know the Purple Peacock?”

Ian internally rolled his eyes. “I’m familiar.”

“Great. See you there at 6. You’ll be ready to celebrate when we win this case.”

“I admire your confidence.” Ian joked. 

“Of course I’m confident. I haven’t lost a case against that jumped up bag of shit yet. I don’t intend to start now. Tomorrow, Ian. Don’t forget. And make sure the guru is there with you. He and I need to have a chat.”

The November chill was one for the record books and had Ian huddling up to Mickey on the platform while they waited for their train. 

“Who the fuck is the woman?” Mickey groaned when Ian told him that the evening Mickey had set aside to celebrate - win or lose - Ian’s first big case was now going to be spent in the bar that had turned into their sex advice clinic. 

“She’s a corporate attorney in my office. She deals with big ass cases, Mick. If I can get an in with her I could be set up for a good time at work.”

Mickey breathed out slowly and watched the white cloud form around his lips. “Not sure if we’ve ever been properly introduced, Gallagher, but I’m not exactly who you want front and center when your fuckin career is at stake.”

Ian prodded his husband in the neck with his gloved hand. “Hush. You charmed those sad sacks on 14th. Jenny will be the same.”

“Alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn ya. When you’re emptying the trash like me I’m gonna laugh and say I told you so.”

“You do not empty trash!”

“Literally the very last thing I did today...”

Ian glared. “It’s not _all_ you do.”

Mickey’s face lit up in a very naughty grin. “No. Sometimes I get my dick sucked and my ass pounded in a boiler room.”

Jenny McCarthy - yes, she’s heard the jokes all before - was a 29-year-old career fiend who took the job at MCH because her ex wanted to go for it and there was no fucking way that was happening. Subsequently, she became the office darling and was busy making a big name for herself in the Chicago legal circles. The only thing missing in her life was a significant other. She could get sex anytime she liked but romance and partnership had been eluding her for the majority of her adult life. It was time to change all that. She needed to get a grip on her life and figure out the confusion she’d been locked in lately. Her eyes locked on the tall, beautiful redhead that was new in her office but was already making waves around the big tables. Ian Gallagher didn’t know it yet but his future at MCH was going to be long and fruitful if he kept up his hard work. He had a keen eye for detail and he was an absolute work horse. His performance in court earlier that afternoon had rocked the executive directors to their collective core and he was suddenly the name on everyone’s lips. The smile on her face only got bigger when she saw the man holding Ian’s hand as they entered the bar. Their children would be smart _and_ beautiful.

“Ian!” She rose to her feet and greeted him warmly.

The redhead smiled back. “Hello Jenny. This is my husband, Mickey. Mick, this is Jenny.”

“Hey.” Mickey nodded once before turning his attention back to Ian. “Wanna beer?”

“Sure.” Ian grinned, still a little adrenaline-drunk from his success in court. “Jenny?”

“I’ll have a Cosmopolitan. Put it on my tab.” Jenny purred and waved at the guy cleaning wine glasses to gesture that Mickey was about to order on her account. Mickey raised his eyebrows and went to the bar, leaning heavily against the counter. He was exhausted and had really had his heart set on celebrating Ian’s achievement with a quiet dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant and then a long night of slow fucking – the kind that Ian really liked, the staring into each other’s eyes and gentle rocking kind of sex. The kind that Mickey pretended was way too gay when secretly he’d die miserable if he never experienced it again.

“Back again?” The guy behind the bar smirked as he flipped the cocktail shaker up in the air and caught it again. “You know we only just got the last of the feathers from under all the tables after your last wild night out.”

Mickey cringed and shuddered as he vaguely recalled feather boas from their ‘wild night out’ with the wives of their clueless sex advice hunters. “If it makes you feel better, I only recovered from my hangover last week.”

The guy chuckled and poured the fruity drink into a chilled glass and then pushed it across to Mickey. “For Ms McCarthy.”

Mickey didn’t miss the way his chocolate brown eyes flickered over to where Ian’s new friend was sitting and he chuckled softly. “Two lite beers too please. And a mop to clean up your drool.”

His blush was adorable. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Gimme a break. I can see the twinkle of desire in your eyes. You’ve got the hots for Miss Legal Eagle over there.” Mickey teased playfully.

He snorted loudly. “So what? Of course I do. She’s beautiful. But she’s not exactly gonna slum it with me, is she?”

“Dude…I’m a janitor and I managed to marry _that_ guy. Sky’s the fuckin limit, man.”

Two beers appeared on the counter and Mickey winked as he picked up the three drinks at the same time. “Thanks. And think about shooting your shot. What’s that phrase people use?”

“Carpe diem?”

Mickey frowned in confusion. “Nah. YOLO!”

The server burst into happy laughter and saluted Mickey as he walked away.

Ian and Jenny were talking first day in court experiences when Mickey returned and the older man was thrilled to see his husband so hyped up about it. He sat back and listened to them trade stories, smiling indulgently when Ian grasped his hand and squeezed.

“It was so cool, Mick. The closing argument was like a movie…I didn’t forget any of my lines!”

Mickey grinned and sipped some beer. “You nailed it. And I’m proud of you.”

“Daniel Meyers was singing your praises in the car back to the office.” Jenny stated nonchalantly and Ian’s eyes widened to the size of Jupiter.

“No shit?”

She chuckled and adjusted the skirt on her business casual dress. “No shit. He asked where you came from and he was impressed when he heard you’re the community college graduate turned paid intern. His grandfather started the firm in the 20’s with his last dime. They appreciate hard work.” Jenny confided. “You did good today and it was noticed.”

Mickey squeezed his hand again and felt a lump form in his throat. He could say all the nice things in the world about being proud and happy for Ian, but hearing it from this beautiful horse’s mouth was another thing entirely. It would boost Ian in a way that Mickey never could.

“So Mickey, what do you do?”

He shrugged. “I work at the same building as you guys. Janitor, mainly.”

Ian glared at his husband and shook his head. “He’s being an asshole. Mickey runs that building. He’s the Head of Maintenance & Janitorial Services. It’s his baby.”

Mickey blushed slightly but the pride in Ian’s voice was evident. And, if he had to be honest, he knew he was damn good at his job.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mickey. There’s too many people in the world who will do that for you. Whatever you choose to do, own it.” Jenny sipped her cocktail elegantly. 

Mickey’s face was glowing when Ian navigated them to safety.

“So what can we help you with?”

Jenny crossed her legs and leaned back in the booth, her eyes drifting around the bar. “I need a man’s opinion.”

“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy seems to be our gig lately.” Ian replied with an easy smile.

“Hmm.” Jenny mused. “It feels strange talking to people about my problems. Not that it’s even a real problem. It is mostly all in my head…”

Mickey gulped down some beer. “We gonna talk in riddles all night or are you gonna clue us in to this personal dilemma anytime soon? My pubes are turning grey while we wait here.”

Jenny glanced at Ian and raised her eyebrows. “Is he always this sassy?”

“Oh this is Gentle Mickey.” Ian giggled. “You should see him when he goes nuclear.”

Jenny drained her glass and sighed. “I knew I was going to be a lawyer from a young age. A calling, if you will. My father wouldn’t have accepted anything less.” She leaned across the table conspiratorially. “He’s a Republican.”

“Your secret is safe.” Mickey snorted. “And the rest of the story?”

Jenny tapped her fingernail on her glass. “And so I am meant to marry a lawyer. Maybe a doctor. A hedge fund manager at a push. Someone my family approves of and are happy to show off in front of their friends. It’s utterly nauseating. Enough to make my vagina sew itself up.”

Mickey snorted and dodged Ian’s elbow jab. “Sorry. The ‘v’ word gives me the giggles. Continue.”

“None of it really mattered when I was at school and then working on building up my reputation at the firm. I wasn’t interested in settling down. I dated a few people my parents deemed appropriate but mostly they made me want to choke on my prawn cocktail appetiser just to get out of yet another boring dinner.”

“You have my deepest sympathy.” Mickey drawled with sarcasm and had to dodge Ian’s elbow again. It was a warning not to get him fired.

“But now it seems I’ve gone and fallen for someone my parents would deem wildly inappropriate. I’ve tried to stay away from him but I keep getting pulled back in. I just want to see him all the time. Talk to him. We always have a really nice time when we talk. I want more…but my father will never stand for it.”

“Ahh…” Mickey grinned. “The old Romeo and Juliet conundrum.”

She was about to speak again when a fresh Cosmo appeared in front of her. A soft blush colored her cheeks.

“Thanks Nat.”

The bartender from earlier winked and drifted back behind the bar. Mickey waited to see if Ian got it, and his husband didn’t let him down.

“You like him!” Ian gasped and waved his hand behind him.

Jenny’s blush was now warming the entire room. “Shh! He doesn’t know. And I’m so completely not allowed to let this happen! It’s just not possible. Not an option!”

Mickey cut off her rant with a frantic wave. “Okay. These things happen when you least expect it. I think you’re looking at this all wrong.”

“Oh really?” Jenny snapped. “And you think it’s so easy to just turn my back on everything I have been raised to expect for my life? I _really_ like him…”

The cool, calm, collected legal ice queen had melted into an emotional puddle and it was equally horrifying and fascinating to see.

“Jesus Christ. I thought Ian was the world’s biggest drama llama. Relax!” Mickey snapped gently at her.

Jenny pouted but fell silent and Ian’s silent prayer to keep his job was bouncing around so loudly in his mind that he was sure the whole bar heard it.

“Sorry.” Jenny murmured. “I’m just so confused. I come here all the time and we’ve talked a lot. I love talking to him. He makes me laugh. He challenges my opinions on things. And I want to kiss him so badly. It’s all just so confusing.”

Ian was stunned at her outpouring of emotion. The Jenny he knew from work was a cold, hard bitch who won cases before most lawyers clocked in at the front desk.

Mickey finished his beer. “I’m gonna go to the bar and get another beer. When I come back we’re gonna talk and you’re gonna decide how you feel about it.”

Ian gaped at his husband as he stomped away. He frowned and shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“He’s really something special.” Jenny chuckled. “You two are good together.”

“Thanks. He’s my best friend.”

“Yeah. I like to sneak into closets and fuck around with my best friend too.” Jenny winked.

“YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?” Ian hissed.

Jenny laughed musically and shrugged. “I suspected a few weeks ago when I tried to get into the supply closet. Didn’t really understand why the door needed to be locked when you were showing the contractor the broken light fixture.”

Ian wanted to slide under the table and disappear. He _knew_ fucking Mickey that day was a risky, stupid move. Jenny continued with a wicked smirk. “And yesterday…well let’s just say I can see when someone is well-fucked, and you were glowing!”

“Oh my God. I’m gonna get fired!” Ian wailed.

“Don’t be a drama llama.” Jenny wagged her finger. “I’m not going to tell anyone.”

Ian felt the cold sweat on his neck. “It’s just…he’s…when I’m near him…I lose every shred of control. It’s weird. Almost hypnotic. He’s all I think about.”

Jenny patted his hand. “It’s called love, Ian. Grasp it tightly in both hands and don’t let anyone or anything take it from you.”

“I won’t.” Ian exhaled slowly and sipped at his beer. “He’s the center of my universe.”

“He’ll be the center of _my_ universe if he can help me figure out how I can have a relationship with a man my father would mistake for the hired help if I took him home to meet the family.”

Ian’s laughter spluttered out of him. “If anyone can, Mick can.”

Mickey was away for a suspiciously long time considering he was only ordering a beer. He also spent a suspiciously long time chatting to Nat, the young and handsome bartender who had clearly caught Jenny’s eye. When Mickey returned to the table he winked at Ian and got comfortable. 

“Alright. In my eyes, the first thing you gotta establish is how you feel about the guy. What’s the point in throwing a Molotov cocktail into the middle of your family if this guy is just a fling, right? Maybe manual labor turns you on but after a few dirty fucks you decide there’s nothing more there.”

Jenny pouted and folded her arms across her chest. “You think I just need to fuck him and get him out of my system?”

Ian rolled his eyes skyward and sent up another prayer – this time pleading that Jenny didn’t think his husband had just implied she was a slut.

“I didn’t say that. I said you need to think about ruling it out.” Mickey held up his finger in clarification. “Ian and me used to fuck a LOT when we first hung out. And it was good. Fuckin’ epic actually. But it wasn’t everything. There was no way in hell I was gonna risk coming out for just some guy I liked to fuck. I came out when I didn’t have a choice anymore. It was Ian or nothing.”

Jenny nodded slowly. “I get it.”

“But something tells me you’re already way past the figuring out stage, hm?” Mickey raised his glass to his lips. “I think you already know all you need to know about Nat. He told me, at the bar, that you guys have something special. He’s a bartender but he’s got plans. Ideas. Ambition. You see that. You see _him_.”

Ian was absolutely stunned to see Jenny’s eyes turn glassy with tears. She looked away to the side and composed herself. She nodded slightly and bit her lip.

“So what do I do?”

Mickey leaned his arms on the table and gazed at her steadily. “You know we can’t tell you that. Your life can’t be determined by what two queers in a bar tell you is best. All we can do is tell you our own experiences and hope something sticks for you. Right?”

Jenny nodded and smiled brightly. “Right.”

Mickey smiled back warmly. “Coming out was the biggest thing I ever did in my life. Even now, I’ve never done anything so life changing. It shaped me. I’m gay. I joke about it with people and make fun of myself but the fact is I am gay. I stood up and told my entire family, my entire neighborhood. You can’t even imagine how big that was. It would have been better received if I told them I was a cold blooded killer.”

Jenny’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Really?”

“Really. I got the snot kicked out of me by my own father when I said those words. I had to leave my home, my family. Everything I knew changed.” Mickey explained.

“Oh my God.” Jenny mumbled, on the verge of crying.

“Hey, it’s nothing. I’d do the whole thing again. Because this guy…” Mickey tipped his head to Ian, who was listening to every word with his undivided attention. “…this guy makes it worth it. I wake up with him every morning and I know I made the right choice. And you will too. You’ll know when it’s right. You live your life for you, not your parents.”

Jenny nodded and wiped at her eyes. “Thank you. I know you’re right. I’m just scared they will disown me. They are old fashioned and have outdated ideas about social standing but I love them. I don’t want to hurt them.”

“When the only other option is to hurt yourself, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it. Life is short but it’s too fucking long to not be happy with the man you love.” Mickey drained his beer and glanced over to the bar, winking at Nat. “Okay Gallagher…let’s get going. We can still make our reservation at Basilico if we leave now.”

Ian reached out and took Jenny’s hand. “Will you be okay?”

Mickey chuckled quietly when Nat appeared beside them, fresh Cosmo in hand and a hopeful glint in his eye. “She’ll be fine. Right Nat?”

Nat grinned shyly. “Of course.”

Jenny stood and embraced Mickey before he had the chance to duck out of her way. She held him tight and sniffled into his neck. “The rumors are true – you are a genius.”

Mickey scoffed a laugh and patted her back. “Bullshit. I’m just saying what you want to hear.”

“Thank you.” She whispered. “Look after Ian…he’s going to blow shit up soon and it’s going to be a lot of pressure. Keep an eye on him. And call me if you need anything.”

Jenny pulled away and with professional level sleight of hand she placed a business card in Mickey’s palm. She hugged Ian too and the two men left to head to their dinner date. Ian held the door open for Mickey and craned his head to take one last look at their table. Nat had taken a seat next to Jenny and they were leaning into each other with shy, hopeful smiles on their faces. He closed the door behind him and chased his husband down on the sidewalk.

“Oof.” Mickey grunted when his back hit the cold brick of the wall in the alley Ian had thrown him into. “The fuck…?”

Ian crowded Mickey and cupped his cheek in his large hand. “I love you. You never fail to amaze me when I hear you talk like that.”

“It’s just the truth, man.” Mickey exhaled and nuzzled his freezing cold nose against Ian’s. “It’s all true.”

“I need you to know…I know I forced your hand and you came out because I pushed you into it…but hearing you say it, acknowledging who you really are, it was everything to me. I was so proud of you. And I will never take you for granted again.”

Mickey laughed easily. “Shut up, Gallagher. It’s all water under the bridge. We’re good.”

Ian pressed his lips to Mickey’s and felt the bitter chill on his skin. “Just…I love you. Okay?”

“Okay. I love you, too.” Mickey pecked him back. “Now let’s go eat spaghetti like they do in Lady and the Tramp.”

Ian grinned and stepped back, taking Mickey’s hand and pulling him back out into the street. “We gonna fight over who is the lady and who is the tramp?”

Mickey punched Ian in the ribs through his coat and darted away. “Fuck that shit. _I’m_ the lady.”


End file.
